About 250 people on Tuesday gathered for the second town meeting of the South Huntsville Civic Association.

"We need something in South Huntsville they've had in other parts of Huntsville for years, a cohesive voice," announced Mo Brooks, a member of the Madison County Commission, from the stage at Grissom High School.

Brooks, one of two key speakers, said that the Huntsville Housing Authority has in recent years quietly used vouchers to send poor families south and plans now to single out south Huntsville for more.

Going through the numbers at Whitesburg Elementary, Brooks argued that schools in south Huntsville have seen test scores drop in recent years "thanks in large part to what the Huntsville Housing Authority has done to us."

In February, the authority surprised homeowners with the outright purchase of 50 units at Stone Manor near Chaffee, sparking a raucous public meeting at Chaffee Elementary on April 6 and leading to the creation of the new civic association.

The civic association now claims 400 to 500 members, said co-president Jennifer Steele. Co-president Mark Dummer announced new subcommittees, including groups to meet with police, atttend school board meetings and monitor zoning issues.

"Your public officials will always behave much better when you're watching," advised Rep. Mike Ball, R-Huntsville, the second speaker of the night. He added later: "Even though what the Housing Authority has done is a bad thing, your response is a good thing."